Methods for Infusing Sustainability into Courses

1.(Re)cast central questions of the course in terms of sustainability (e.g. Meagher, Pang-White, Voltzow)
2.Thread questions/issues throughout (e.g. Maria Squire, Alan Brumagim; Parsons, Friedrichs)
3.Specific reading, discussion and/or writing assignments on sustainability (e.g., Barbara Cozza, Gloria Wenze; Farrell, Kraus, Harris)
4. Add or re-focus service or experiential learning projects (e.g., Dan West, Rich Larsen)
5. Introduce sustainability as parts of lectures (e.g., Maria Squire; R. Smith)
6. Add some directed lectures (e.g., Rich Larsen, Len Tischler)
7. Add a course project focused on sustainability (e.g., Len Tischler, Barbara Cozza, Dan West)
8. Through “hidden curriculum”
In courses that focus on methods rather than specific content, one can introduce sustainability through choices of examples that one uses
create student research projects that focus on sustainability issues (e.g., Gloria Wenze; Sabastianelli)
analyze existing problems and data sets that concern sustainability (e.g. Declan Mulhall; Karpiak, Baril, Sabastianelli)Reading/writing assignments (e.g., Kraus)

All of us can be think about examples we use in lectures, assignments, etc.
Teaching by example—our classroom practices:
–Minimizing paper use, recycling paper
–Asking students to deposit cans in recycling bins
--Providing copies on back-side of printed paper or on paper scraps
--Biking or walking to work
--Other ideas?

Resources from Cyndee Cann's presentation May 23, 2008

Video interview of Ray Anderson, CEO of Interface Carpet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcRDUIbT4gw&feature=related

Her references:

• Reed, Donald J., CFA (December 2001), “Stalking the Elusive Business Case for Corporate Sustainability, Sustainable Enterprise Perspectives, World Resources Institute.
• Paul Hawkin (2007), Blessed Unrest
• Russo, Michael V. and Paul A. Fouts (1997), “A Resources-Based Perspective on Corporate Environmental Performance and Profitability,” Academy of Management Journal, 40, 3, 534-559.
• Day, Robert M. (March 1998), “Beyond Eco-Efficiency: Sustainability as a Driver for Innovation,” Sustainable Enterprise Perspectives, World Resources Institute.
• Tachi Kiuchi, Managing Director, Mitsubishi Electric (May 3, 1999), The Next Bottom Line, Business Week.
• Esty and Winston, Green to Gold, 2006
• Beyond Grey Pinstripes (reports on business schools)

GE: http://ge.ecomagination.com/site/index.html?kw=ge%20ecomagination&c_id=ecomagination#home

Google's green campus commitment http://www.google.com/corporate/green/energy/

Nike on product life cycle
http://www.nikeresponsibility.com/pdfs/bw/4_Nike_CRR_Environment_BW.pdfi

on product life cycle, see also Patagonia

Readings for 2008-2009 Workshop--Day 1

Day 1: What is sustainability?
a) Definitions of sustainability: There are many definitions of “sustainability.” The most commonly used definition is from the UN Brundtland Report. Please read definitions at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/sustainability/more_defns.htm
b) Introduction to sustainability: please read “Introduction to Sustainability” at http://www.sustainablemeasures.com/Sustainability/ and then at bottom of this web page click on “An even Better Picture of a Sustainable Community,” or on this direct link: http://www.sustainablemeasures.com/Sustainability/ABetterView.html

OPTIONAL RESOURCE: For further exploration of sustainability definitions: The City of Philadelphia has a website that includes links to many more definitions and considerations of sustainability. If you wish to examine additional definitions, see: http://sustainablephiladelphia.com/html/whatis.html and scroll down to “definitions of sustainability on the web”; there you can trace the origins of many of the definitions.

Readings for 2008-2009 Workshop--Day 2

Day 2: Sustainability and the Environment. As you have seen from yesterday’s reading (Introduction to Sustainability), the environment, society and economics are intertwined. In the second, third, and fourth readings we will focus on each of these areas. Today’s readings primarily focus on the Environment. Human consumption of natural (particularly nonrenewable) resources and the concomitant production of waste (pollution) is a central issue of sustainability and how it relates to the environment. a) overview of environmental issues: Please read Chapter 1. Entering a New World (pdf), from Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization (W.W. Norton & Company). http://www.earth-policy.org/Books/PB3/Contents.htm b) ecological footprint: To get an idea of how your lifestyle affects the environment, please calculate your ecological footprint at http://www.myfootprint.org/
OPTIONAL RESOURCES --Lester Brown’s 2008 entire book is available at: http://www.earth-policy.org/Books/PB3/Contents.htm (entire book) Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization (W.W. Norton & Company).
--Local environmental scorecard: This is a link to a website that provides an environmental scorecard for local areas by entering your zipcode; it’s useful for finding specific facts and figures about Scranton or wherever you live: http://www.scorecard.org/community/index.tcl?zip_code=18510&set_community_zipcode_cookie_p=t&x=45&y=7

Readings for 2008-2009 Workshop--Day 3

Day 3: Social Sustainability and Social Justice. The third readings focus on the issues of society and justice. a) “What is social sustainability?” (please see the attached articles)
b) The Ecological Crisis: A Common Responsibility by Pope John Paul II on the World Day of Peace, 1990. http://www.marquette.edu/theology/interfacing/ChurchonEcologicalDegradation/documents/EcologicalCrisis-pope_000.pdf
OPTIONAL RESOURCES--on environmental justice: b) Definition and history of environmental justice: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/basics/ejbackground.html--for a fuller history of the environmental justice movement, see R.D. Bullard’s article: http://www.ejrc.cau.edu/ejinthe21century.htm

Readings for 2008-2009 Workshop--Day 4

Day 4: Economics and Business. Today’s readings center on economics and business. Please read the following articles:Business Coalition for Climate Actionhttp://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentID=5828MIT Launches Sustainable Business Labhttp://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=34539
OPTIONAL RESOURCE: more on business and the environment: http://www.bsdglobal.com/sd_journey.asp; this webpage contains lots of resources for those wanting to explore more but the assigned reading focuses on the “big picture.” It is particularly helpful in showing how sustainable business requires more than just mere compliance with environmental regulations.

Readings for 2008-2009 Workshop--Day 5

Day 5: Health. The fifth readings focus on health issues related to air pollution and other environmental toxins.a) “Air Pollution Fatalities New Exceed Traffic Fatalities by 3 to 1” http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/Update17.htmb) Children's Environmental Health: http://www.who.int/ceh/en/ and then click on left link "risks" for further information
OPTIONAL RESOURCE --on environmental estrogens: http://www.envtox.ucdavis.edu/cehs/TOXINS/estrogens.htm

Readings for 2008-2009 Workshop Day 6

Day 6: Education. The UN has declared the years 2005-14 as the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. The infusion of sustainability into the curriculum at Scranton is in conjunction with a UN driven worldwide effort to bring attention to the issues of sustainability. The following readings should put our efforts into perspective:For the UN’s vision of education for sustainable development, please see: http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=27279&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.htmlThen follow links of greatest interest/use to you. Teacher educators might be interested in: http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=48712&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Readings for 2008-2009 Workshop--Day 7

Day 7: Curriculum Infusion Models. The seventh readings also focus on Education—Emory University has been involved in infusing sustainability across their curriculum for seven years and has developed a terrific website detailing their activities. a) Please go to Emory University’s sustainability curriculum infusion project (The Piedmont Project) http://www.scienceandsociety.emory.edu/piedmont/index.htm and pay particular attention to the syllabi/course modules [click on the “curriculum” link], especially the ones most relevant to you.b) In addition, please review the University of Scranton’s Education for Justice: The Case for Sustainability project, on-line at: http://matrix.scranton.edu/sustainability/. If you go to the academic link (http://matrix.scranton.edu/sustainability/done-academics.shtml) you will then find a link to the 2005-06 Workshop on Sustainability (http://matrix.scranton.edu/sustainability/workshop-2005-2006.shtml). This page will provide you with examples of course statements and syllabi of courses at the University that have sustainability infused into them. A year from now we will be asking you for the same information to post on this site.

Readings for 2008-2009 workshop--Day 8

Day 8: Follow your interests. Finding additional resources for your own courses/disciplinary interests. As we hope the small sampling of readings we have done over the past several days shows, the internet provides us with a rich array of resources on sustainability (of course, so do good, old-fashioned books and articles). Please go to: http://www.sustainable.org/ and scroll down to the bottom of the page to find additional resources and links organized around major sustainability topics. Choose at least one link that you think will be helpful to you in redesigning your course, and come prepared to discuss it on Thursday, May 22-23th.